Never order shipped eggs again?

[CarlieO]

I've been incubating shipped eggs for 10 days now. I started with 41 eggs and immediately had to throw 4 out for weeping.

I candled last night (day 10) and of the remaining 37 eggs maybe 10 had viable embryos. The rest were clear and 1 had a blood ring. I understand that fertility with shipped eggs should be expected to be about 50% but I did not anticipate it to be this low. I paid a lot of money for these eggs and have some suspicion they were already up to a week old when they were shipped.


Is this just an example of 'live and learn' or should I be seeking something from the seller? I have had excellent hatch rates previously and my incubator has been holding temp and humidity perfectly the entire time. Not angry or upset by any means just very disappointed. I'm hesitant to ever order shipped eggs again if this is how they turn out.

Thoughts? Advice? Helpful suggestions?

Thank you!

 

[shannondee12]

I can't tell you what to do in regards to this particular seller, however, I have had multiple successful hatches from shipped eggs. I have attempted 6 hatches (shipped from different sellers) and only one was poor and I wholeheartedly believe that the eggs were either old or infertile or had other issues because the few that did hatch had issues and died shortly after hatching. Don't count out all mail order eggs just because of one bad hatch. Some are really good at packaging and shipping.

 

[CarlieO]

I should add that the eggs appeared to be packed beautifully. Each was individually bubble wrapped and the top and the bottom of the box was packed in styrofoam.

 

[shannondee12]

did you candle them before setting the eggs? If so, could you see any issues like detached air sac?

 

[CarlieO]

I can't tell you what to do in regards to this particular seller, however, I have had multiple successful hatches from shipped eggs.  I have attempted 6 hatches (shipped from different sellers) and only one was poor and I wholeheartedly believe that the eggs were either old or infertile or had other issues because the few that did hatch had issues and died shortly after hatching.  Don't count out all mail order eggs just because of one bad hatch.  Some are really good at packaging and shipping.

Thanks for the feedback! Its promising to know that shipped eggs can be hatched successfully.

 

[keesmom]

Shipped eggs are a gamble. I've had great hatches and I've had 0% hatches.

You could try contacting the seller and see if s/he would be willing to send another batch for the cost of shipping.